


Metal Rat

by Nemainofthewater



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chocobox 2020, Domesticity, Don't copy to another site, Dumplings, Fluff, Gen, Love, M/M, everyone is alive and well!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 10:04:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22480777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nemainofthewater/pseuds/Nemainofthewater
Summary: Dumplings and domesticity
Relationships: Chirrut Îmwe/Baze Malbus
Comments: 12
Kudos: 39
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	Metal Rat

**Author's Note:**

  * For [doublejoint](https://archiveofourown.org/users/doublejoint/gifts).

> Written for the Chocolate Box- Round 5 challenge.

The air on Yavin 4 was thick with humidity at the best of times, even when there weren’t thick sheets of rain battering down through the jungle’s canopy. For a man used either to the dry heat of the Jedhan desert or the cold sterility of space, it was a culture shock. Not that he got any sympathy from Baze when he complained.

Chirrut grumbled and stretched out in his bunk. His sheets were distressingly, and unavoidably, damp. Giving up on sleep, he sat up. He frowned. The air was distinctly unmarred by Baze’s snoring and- concentrating- he couldn’t hear his breathing.

“Baze?”

There was no answer.

“Hmph,” Chirrut said and got out of bed. He donned his robes, his fingers quick and nimble after years of routine. If Baze had been there, he might have stumbled on a few clasps. Feigned a search for a missing sash. Both of them knew that he didn’t need the help, but that meant little. It’s not what one needs, but what one is freely given.

Concentrating on the bright eddies of the Force, Chirrut allowed it to guide his feet. He wandered through the Rebel base attentive to its whispers and moods. Despite everything, or maybe because of it, the Force was strong here. Its warmth permeated the base, the hope and determination and burning need to right the wrongs of the Empire deep-rooted in every member from Leia Organa down.

His feet and the Force did not lead him astray. Before long he had stumbled into one of the small, personal kitchens that were put aside for those who weren’t content with the canteen’s food and preferred a more interesting diet.

Baze was unmistakeable, even without taking his Force presence into account. Chirrut was certain that he would never find anyone who radiated warmth and security and gruff concern like Baze.

“Good,” Baze said. “I thought that you’d never get up.” He didn’t turn around from whatever he was doing.

“I hadn’t realised that my presence was required.”

Chirrut stepped forward, trailing his hand absently against the stone wall and smiling at the impressions it left. He stepped behind Baze and reached out to feel whatever it was he was concentrating so hard on. His fingertips brushed over soft dough and his smile stretched even wider as he pressed back against Baze.

“You need to earn your keep somehow, monk.”

Baze took Chirrut’s wandering hand in his own and kissed it softly. Then he brought it down to rest on a pile of already-stretched dumpling skins.

“The filling is to your right.”

Deftly, Chirrut scooped up a small portion of the nerf-meat mixture and started to shape the dumplings, sealing them with quick pinches of his fingers. He didn’t have to think, he could have shaped them in his sleep it was so ingrained in him. All of the Guardians were taught the value of those dumplings and their creation and distribution to the poor of the city were always given as much weight as guardianship of the Kyber crystals. Now… now the sacred crystals had been destroyed, but the dumplings still remained.

“Is there a reason that you’ve decided that today is a fine day to cook?”

“Do you have a problem with my cooking?” He could feel Baze huff against his neck before he moved to the side and started to stretch more wrappers into perfect rounds.

“Did I say that?” Chirrut flicked a small bit of dough at Baze’s head, grinning when it smacked him on his nose. Baze grunted, unconcerned.

“I hope you’ll set a better example later,” Baze said. “Skywalker in particular will be disappointed to discover just how troublesome you truly are.” He paused. “The others won’t be surprised.”

“The others?”

Baze snorted. “Did you think that we were making only enough food for the two of us? Not even your stomach could hope to consume this many dumplings. I sleep next to you. I’d prefer not to spend the entire night in the ‘fresher with you.”

There was a pause that Chirrut did not interrupt.

“It’s- do you know the date.”

The date? Chirrut couldn’t think of anything that he was forgetting. Neither he nor Baze cared to celebrate their birthdays and they had grown up together, meaning they had no special celebration of their meeting. He frowned, his hands smoothing and patting and pinching the dumplings. Dumplings. Dumplings! He raised his hands to his face and sniffed quickly.

“I hadn’t realised that you were so sentimental,” Chirrut said. Because the dumplings- they were the traditional Jedhan dish celebrating the new year. He ran a few quick calculations; yes, the new year would be today, taking into account the differing orbits of Yavin 4 and Jedha. 

“I’m not,” Baze said. “But- there are many things to be thankful of, this year. That we have survived. That we have struck a blow against the Empire. That we are together, all of us. And-” He paused again.

“And?” Chirrut prompted.

“And it’s your year,” Baze said, concentrating on his task. “The year of the rat.”

“So it is,” Chirrut said. That smile was back again, tugging at his lips. “I suppose this means that we should have a celebration for you next year. The year of the bantha.” Abandoning his dumpling, he leant over the table and gently brought their heads together, forehead to forehead.

“Steady, strong, and stalwart,” Chirrut murmured. “You hold your faith firmly and I am the better for it.” He could feel Baze’s breath against his lips, could hear his heart thrumming steadily in his chest. Sure and true as the heavens themselves.

“What would I do without you?”

**Author's Note:**

> I am on Tumblr as [Nemainofthewater ](https://nemainofthewater.tumblr.com)


End file.
